27. “Am I crazy?” When your family makes you question your own reality - with Kayla Reilly
Listen to “Am I Crazy?” When your family makes you question your own reality - with Kayla Reilly wherever you get your podcasts
Have you ever walked away from a conversation with your family thinking, Wait… did that actually happen the way I remember it? Am I being too sensitive? Am I overreacting? Am I crazy?
If you grew up being told you were dramatic, too sensitive, or remembering things incorrectly, you might spend a surprising amount of your adulthood trying to figure out whether you can actually trust your own feelings and perceptions.
In this episode, I’m sitting down with licensed trauma and relationship therapist Kayla Reilly, aka The Spicy Shrink, for a conversation that honestly gave me A LOT to think about.
Kayla and I talk about what happens when a child’s reality is repeatedly minimized — and how those messages can follow us into adulthood. We talk about people pleasing, seeking external validation, over-functioning in relationships, and why so many of us become adults who are constantly questioning ourselves.
We also get into dysfunctional family dynamics, including the roles we learn to play to survive. And what happens when we finally start questioning the patterns we grew up believing were normal, and instead start learning to trust ourselves.
Kayla Reilly is
In this episode, we cover:
Why being told you're “too sensitive,” “dramatic,” or “remembering it wrong” can make you question your own reality.
Narcissistic personality or emotional immaturity? Why knowing the difference matters.
How the traits we think are “just who we are” may actually be survival tactics we learned as children.
The family roles we take on to survive, and the surprising ways they can follow us into adulthood.
Why validation doesn't mean agreeing with someone's version of events—and why your experience still matters.
Kayla's 3-part framework for healing: awareness, acceptance, and action.
Connect with Kayla:
Follow on Instagram
Take the survival role quiz
Check out her website
More about Momming as a Millennial podcast:
Welcome to Momming as a Millennial, the podcast where we dive into the challenges and triumphs of being a millennial mom in today’s dynamic world. Join your host, Christine Giarrizzo, on this candid journey as we navigate the complexities of motherhood, from tackling outdated stereotypes, to embracing our individual parenting styles.
In each episode, we explore the intersection of tradition and modern parenting. We’ll look at unsolicited advice and internet noise, as well as gender roles and expectations handed down by our parents and grandparents, in order to find what resonates with our true, authentic selves.
Tune in for honest conversations, genuine stories, expert insights, and a supportive community that understands the unique circumstance of navigating parenthood as a millennial. Together we’ll rewrite the narrative, challenge societal norms, and celebrate the diverse voices that make up our generation.
Let’s redefine what it means to be a mama in the millennial era.
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